20th International Congress of Chemotherapy
Sydney Australia - June 29 - July 3, 1997
EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF LEVOFLOXACIN IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC LOWER
RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION
T.Sawa, T.Yoshida, Y.Ohno, T.Ikoma, M.Toyota, N.Yasuda*, K.Gotoh*, H.Fujiwara*,
Gifu Municipal Hospital and *Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
Introduction: In elderly patients with chronic lower respiratory tract infections
(RTI), there are few reports on the clinical efficacy and safety of new
quinolones. We investigated the efficacy and safety of oral levofloxacin
(LVFX) during the treatment of elderly patients with chronic lower RTI.
In addition, the relationship between serum concentration of LVFX and renal
function was evaluated.
Method: LVFX was given orally in a daily dose of 300mg in 3 divided portion
for more than two weeks in 106 elderly patients (age>65 years old) with
chronic lower RTI. The clinical efficacy was evaluated in 92 patients by
numerical rating. The serum concentration of LVFX was measured at two weeks
of LVFX administration.
Results: 1) The clinical efficacy rate (complete and good) were 80.4% (74/92)
and the bacteriological eradication rate was 89.5% (34/38 strains). 2) The
serum concentration of LVFX was significantly correlated with creatinine
clearance (p<0.05). In some of the patients, serum concentration of LVFX
were about twice of those in young healthy persons. 3) As concerning the
adverse events, the drug-related events were observed in 12 of 106 patients
(11%). These adverse events, Leukopenia in 4, γ-GTP elevation in 2 cases
and thrombopenia in one, GOT elevation in one, GPT elevation in one, appetite
loss in one, abdominal pain in one, and dizziness in one case, were tolerable
to perform the treatment with LVFX.
It is concluded that LVFX (100mg, p.o.,t.i.d) is useful to treat elderly
patients with chronic lower RTI and that the patients with renal dysfunction
should be carefully monitored.